Page 54 of A Bond Beyond Blood (The Butcher’s Daughter Trilogy #1)

J ack

Gannon went rigid beside me, those big brown eyes wide with fear, and I was struck by the strangeness of a vampire , someone so powerful and formidable, being afraid of anyone .

But Antonella Vintaloro-Hayes wasn’t just anyone, was she?

She was a force all on her own.

And at the sight of her, a sob slipped past my lips. I tore out of Gannon’s embrace and propelled myself into the open arms of his mother. She wrapped me in a fierce hug, shoulders shaking as we both cried.

She’d been like a mother to me, and after Gannon left, I slowly stopped seeing her because doing so reminded me too much of the boy I’d loved and lost, opening that wound all over again anytime I laid eyes on his mother or this house.

“Shh, shh,” she said, pressing kisses into my hair.

But I couldn’t stop crying. So much had happened in the past year, and I’d wanted—needed—a parental figure in my life, someone to guide me or console me, or, like now, just freaking hold me. This woman was the only mother I’d ever known and I missed her with every ounce of my being.

“I missed you so much, tesoro ,” she said into my hair. “You stayed away too long, my girl.”

“I know, I’m so sorry.” Pulling back, I looked up at her, searching her gaze for any indication that this wasn’t the loving woman I grew up with, but there was nothing but love and grief in her eyes. I couldn’t see a trace of the woman who’d sent Gannon away.

My heart broke at that thought; she must have been so afraid.

As she held my gaze, she nodded as if she knew it was time. I offered her a smile and whispered, “He won’t hurt you. He needs you.”

Antonella’s face crumpled and tears sprang from her eyes, but she nodded and I stepped aside.

Gannon’s agonizing sob ripped my heart into pieces, but Antonella opened her arms, and just like I had moments ago, Gannon ran into them, though admittedly, he ran into her faster than any human being could have, nearly knocking the poor woman off her feet.

I tensed, waiting for that vampiric speed to register in his mother’s mind, but she gripped Gannon so fiercely I realized it no longer mattered.

She’d missed him too much to care.

“Come in,” she said, pulling back to look into his eyes. “ Please come in.” She looked past him to me, then back at her son again, eyes a bit hesitant as they flicked around his face. “Did I say it right?”

Gannon’s laugh was half sob, but he nodded and said, “Yeah, ma, you said it right.”

She began to pull him inside and his hand shot out backwards toward me. I slid my hand into it and he squeezed tightly as we made our way into his childhood home.

B y the time dessert rolled around, and Antonella settled into her seat across the dining room table after setting a plate of lemon curd pie in front of each of us, we’d returned to normal—or, as normal as could be expected when one of us was now a vampire.

The house was warm and smelled of home, that subtle scent of laundry detergent mixed with Italian cooking—the same as always.

The food was as delicious as ever; even Gannon tore through his meal like a man starved, even though he certainly didn’t need or even crave the sustenance of a good, homecooked Italian feast.

And, most importantly, Antonella’s love was a palpable presence in the room with us, a cloak draped around our shoulders.

It all felt... well... right . It felt right being here with Gannon and his mom. It felt right being the woman at his side again.

It felt right letting Gannon back into my life, my heart, letting him love me again like he was always meant to do.

As I took that first bite of pie, I realized for the first time that I’d forgiven him.

Truly and wholly. I swiveled my head toward him, instantly catching his gaze, and hoped he could see and feel that truth in my eyes.

Gannon smiled, then slid his hand over my thigh and gave it a squeeze so high up that I nearly choked on my dessert.

“So, has my boy earned his way back into your heart, Jackie?” Antonella asked, pulling my attention to her. She shot Gannon a glare and shook her head, still obviously disappointed in the way he’d left things with me.

He lowered his head and I squeezed his hand beneath the table. When he looked at me, I whispered, “No more of that.” Then I beamed at his mom. “Yes, Anti,” I said, giving Gannon another firm squeeze of reassurance. “He’s...” I paused, considering. “Well, I guess he’s my boyfriend again.”

Antonella clapped her hands together at her chest, her grin wide as she looked back and forth between the two of us.

“Actually,” Gannon said with a teasing lilt to his voice, making my stomach drop out. “Jackie has two boyfriends, Ma.”

I shot him a glare but it was too late.

“ Two boyfriends? Madone ,” Antonella gasped as she brought both hands to her cheeks, then murmured something in Italian.

Heat rushed into my cheeks as I braced myself for the inevitable lecture, but then she laughed, like really laughed, startling us both.

Gannon and I shared a look, then focused on his mom across the table, wide eyed as we tried to understand what was happening.

“Two!” She roared with laughter, tipping back into her chair. She brought her napkin up to her eyes, dabbing as tears damped the corners. “I could barely handle the needs of one man”—more murmuring in Italian that I didn’t understand—“and my Jackie has two of them!”